After the timer reached zero, flashes of light appeared around the four pagodas.
One disciple after another emerged from the trial spaces and returned to the arena.
Some appeared with weapons already raised, their attacks halted midway through execution. Others stood in defensive stances, prepared to receive attacks that never arrived. Several stumbled forward a few steps before regaining their balance, having been running toward enemies moments earlier.
The sudden transition left many briefly disoriented.
Then they realized what had happened. The trial had ended. Gradually, weapons were lowered. Defensive stances relaxed. The tension accumulated during two hours of combat slowly dissipated.
Yet before conversations could begin, many noticed something unusual.
The arena was silent.
Far too silent.
Thousands of spectators sat watching. Yet almost nobody spoke. The atmosphere felt strange, as though something important had happened.
One by one, the newly returned disciples followed the direction of everyone's gaze. Soon, their eyes landed upon the same destination.
The Azure Rank leaderboard. Several disciples froze. Others blinked repeatedly. A few simply stared.
In the whole leaderboard, a single participant's details in golden text shone brightly.
[Azure Rank Pagoda — Li Yan Tian
Current Level: Hidden Level
Points: 5,000
Time Remaining: 0:00:49 (Paused)]
The meaning was obvious. Li Yan had cleared all nine levels of the Azure Rank Pagoda.
One of the highest-ranked Azure Rank disciples who had just emerged from the pagoda stared at the leaderboard for several moments before slowly shaking his head.
"Is he really human?" he muttered.
The disciple standing beside him let out a helpless laugh. "He is a monster in human form."
Neither of them received any disagreement.
Because everyone who understood what the hidden level represented was currently thinking the same thing.
****
Inside the Azure Pagoda, the spatial distortion lasted only a moment. When Li Yan's vision stabilized, he found himself standing within a vast circular chamber.
The entire space had been constructed from dark stone. Ancient runes covered the walls, emitting a faint silver radiance that illuminated the surroundings. Unlike the battlefield on the ninth level, this place was completely silent.
There were no enemies. No pressure. No traces of danger.
Only an ancient and solemn atmosphere lingered throughout the chamber.
As Li Yan calmly observed his surroundings, the bracelet around his wrist chimed softly.
Ding.
[Level: ???
Points: 5,000
Time Remaining: 0:00:49 (Paused)]
Before he could examine it further, a familiar voice echoed throughout the chamber. "Welcome to the Hidden Space of the Azure Rank Pagoda."
The voice carried neither emotion nor hostility.
It simply existed. Ancient. Indifferent.
The same one he heard in the hidden level of the White Rank Pagoda.
"You have completed the Azure Rank Pagoda and unlocked this hidden realm."
A brief silence followed. Then the voice continued. "Since the creation of the Pagoda Trials, you are the first disciple to accomplish this feat."
Li Yan's expression remained calm. These were almost the same words he had heard within the hidden level of the White Rank Pagoda.
As a result, the announcement brought a soft hum that suddenly spread throughout the chamber.
Five golden orbs materialized before him. Each hovered several feet above the ground while rotating slowly in place.
Gentle golden radiance flowed across their surfaces. "You are granted five choices."
The ancient voice echoed once more. "Each orb contains a different reward. Only one may be selected."
Li Yan stepped forward. His expression remained composed, but his eyes carefully examined the five floating rewards.
Unlike most disciples, he did not rush. Every opportunity possessed a different value. The Spiritual Beast Egg obtained from the White Rank Pagoda had taught him that lesson well.
His hand reached toward the first orb.
The moment his fingers touched its surface, a panel of golden light appeared before him.
[Artifact
Artifact Name: Shadow Sovereign Armor
Level: Tier-6 Mid-Level
Type: Defensive Artifact
Description: A defensive armor forged from Shadowsteel. Capable of resisting attacks from the Celestial Integration Realm cultivators and below.]
Li Yan studied the information quietly. "A good artifact."
For an Azure Rank disciple, such armor would be considered an extraordinary reward.
Unfortunately, it held little attraction for him. Yao Fuhuo had already gifted him armor of comparable quality. Perhaps even superior.
As a result, the value of this reward immediately diminished. Without hesitation, he moved toward the second orb. Golden light flickered once more.
[Technique
Technique Name: Shadow Slashes Rain
Level: Mortal-Tier Peak-Level
Type: Offensive Combat Technique
Description: Releases numerous condensed shadow slashes simultaneously, overwhelming opponents through speed and quantity.]
Li Yan's gaze lingered briefly upon the description.
Then he shook his head. "A powerful technique. But only for other disciples."
Within the Ancient Techniques Hall, he had already copied Divine-Tier techniques far superior to this one.
Compared to those techniques, a Mortal-Tier technique possessed little attraction. If he ever needed a technique of this level, the sect's Techniques Hall contained more options.
He withdrew his hand.
The third orb was illuminated.
[Cultivation Resource
Name: Elemental Qi Stones
Type: Darkness
Quantity: Fifty
Description: Highly condensed Darkness Qi stones suitable for cultivation and breakthrough assistance.]
Li Yan's eyes brightened slightly. Fifty Darkness Qi Stones were undoubtedly valuable. Many Azure Rank disciples would likely choose this reward immediately.
Yet after only a moment, his expression returned to normal. "If I need cultivation resources, I already possess the whole Fire Mine."
Although the elemental attributes differed, the comparison remained obvious. In front of an entire mine, fifty Qi Stones were little more than a drop of water before the sea.
With that thought, Li Yan withdrew his hand and shifted his attention toward the fourth orb.
The moment his fingers touched its surface, a new panel emerged before him.
[Special Item
Name: Ancient Map Fragment
Origin: Unknown
Description: A fragment of an ancient map discovered by the founders of Shadow Haven Sect. The map is incomplete. Its destination remains unknown.]
Li Yan's gaze sharpened slightly.
For several moments, he remained silent. The information provided was almost nonexistent. Unknown origin. Unknown destination. Unknown purpose.
Yet despite that, this reward immediately attracted more of his attention than the previous three.
An ancient map fragment preserved by the founders of the Shadow Haven Sect for countless years could not be ordinary.
The pagoda would not include a worthless reward among the five choices. More importantly, the description specifically mentioned the founders.
That detail alone suggested significance. Perhaps not an immediate value. Perhaps not an immediate strength. But importance nonetheless.
Li Yan memorized every word before withdrawing his hand.
Then he stepped toward the fifth and final orb.
The moment his fingers touched its surface, a deep, spear-like hum echoed throughout the chamber.
The surrounding Darkness Qi stirred slightly.
A new panel appeared.
[Artifact
Artifact Name: Abyssal Shadow Spear
Level: Tier-6 Peak-Level
Type: Attack
Description: A spear forged from Abyssal Iron and nurtured within a Darkness Qi Vein for hundreds of years. Possesses exceptional durability and naturally amplifies Darkness-element attacks.]
Li Yan carefully examined the weapon displayed within the panel.
The spear possessed an elegant yet dangerous appearance. Its dark shaft resembled polished obsidian. The spearhead radiated a cold aura that made even ordinary cultivators uncomfortable to look at.
More importantly, it suited him. Although Li Yan preferred the sword, he had never limited himself to a single weapon.
Sword. Spear. Gauntlets. Even unarmed combat.
Each possessed advantages in different situations.
If obtained, this spear would undoubtedly increase his combat power. For a long moment, silence filled the hidden chamber.
Five rewards hovered quietly before him.
Armor. Technique. Darkness Qi Stones. Ancient Map Fragment. Abyssal Shadow Spear.
Any other disciple would likely choose the spear immediately. The armor and Qi Stones would also attract some of them.
After all, they provided immediate benefits. Immediate strength. Immediate results.
Li Yan's gaze slowly moved across the rewards once more. Then it returned to the fourth orb—the Ancient Map Fragment.
A faint smile appeared on his face. "Let's take a gamble."
The spear was valuable. The armor was valuable. The Qi Stones were valuable. But all of them could eventually be acquired through effort, resources, or future opportunities.
The map fragment was different. Its value was uncertain. Its destination remained hidden. Its purpose was impossible to determine. That uncertainty alone made it the most unique reward among the five.
Li Yan raised his hand.
His decision had already been made. "I choose…"
His fingers touched the fourth orb. "…the Ancient Map Fragment."
Golden light erupted throughout the chamber.
The choice was immediately confirmed. The fourth orb exploded into countless strands of golden radiance. The remaining four rewards trembled briefly before dissolving into particles and vanishing completely.
Only the selected reward remained. A weathered fragment of dark-yellow parchment slowly materialized before him.
It floated quietly in the air. Li Yan reached out and caught it. The fragment was roughly the size of two palms placed together.
Ancient markings covered its surface. Most of the map had been lost. Only a few mountain ranges remained visible. Several rivers crossed the parchment. Near one corner rested an unfamiliar symbol, unlike anything Li Yan had seen before.
His eyes carefully examined every detail.
Unfortunately, he recognized nothing. Not the terrain. Not the markings. Not even the language used for some of the symbols.
"Interesting." That was his only comment.
Without hesitation, he stored the fragment inside his storage ring.
The moment the map disappeared, the chamber trembled. Ancient runes across the walls illuminated simultaneously.
The voice of the pagoda echoed one final time. "You have claimed your reward."
"The Hidden Space is now closing."
A powerful force immediately descended upon Li Yan. The surrounding space distorted. The chamber faded. The runes disappeared. The ancient voice vanished.
Then everything dissolved into streams of light.
****
Outside the Azure Pagoda, the murmurs among the spectators showed no signs of fading. Even after several minutes, countless disciples continued glancing toward the Azure-Rank leaderboard.
Reaching the hidden level remained one of the rarest achievements in the history of the Shadow Haven Sect, and witnessing it happen for the second consecutive year left everyone deeply impressed.
Suddenly, the Azure Pagoda trembled gently. The ancient runes engraved across its surface emitted a brilliant glow before gradually dimming. Several elders immediately noticed the change. One of them smiled faintly. "It's over. He's coming out."
The conversations throughout the arena gradually subsided as hundreds of eyes shifted toward the entrance of the Azure Pagoda. Moments later, a familiar figure stepped out calmly.
Li Yan.
The moment he appeared, the quiet discussions resumed with even greater intensity. Although no one knew what reward awaited within the hidden level, merely becoming the first disciple in the sect's history to conquer both the White-Rank and Azure-Rank Hidden Levels was already an accomplishment worthy of admiration.
Li Yan paid little attention to the surrounding voices. Instead, his gaze slowly swept across the four towering pagodas and their leaderboards. White Rank. Yellow Rank. Brown Rank. Finally, Azure Rank. He carefully examined each one before slowly shaking his head.
Not a single disciple had reached the hidden level.
A trace of disappointment surfaced in his eyes. Last year, after obtaining the Spiritual Beast Egg from the White-Rank Hidden Space, he had deliberately kept every reward a secret.
He wanted the mystery itself to serve as motivation, believing that future disciples would strive even harder if they knew that extraordinary rewards awaited those who could clear the pagodas completely.
Unfortunately, reality proved otherwise.
At that moment, Chen Zhi slowly rose into the air once again. With a simple raise of his hand, the conversations throughout the arena came to an immediate stop. His calm voice, reinforced by Qi, echoed clearly across the enormous stadium.
"Congratulations, Li Yan Tian."
His gaze rested steadily upon Li Yan before he continued, "You have accomplished something no disciple has achieved since the creation of the Pagoda Trials. Last year, you became the first disciple to reach the Hidden Level of the White-Rank Pagoda."
"Today, you have once again become the first disciple to conquer the Hidden Level of the Azure-Rank Pagoda."
A brief pause followed before Chen Zhi continued, "From this day onward, both achievements will be permanently recorded within the sect archives."
Applause erupted throughout the arena. Many disciples looked toward Li Yan with admiration, while others could not hide the respect within their eyes. Even those who had once viewed him as merely talented now found it increasingly difficult to measure him by ordinary standards.
Considering that Li Yan was only at the early stages of the Qi Channeling Realm, reaching the Hidden Level—a feat no one had accomplished even at the Peak Stage—made his achievement all the more extraordinary.
Li Yan cupped his hands respectfully. "Thank you, Elder Chen."
As the applause gradually faded, Li Yan remained silent for a brief moment before speaking again. "Elder Chen, if it does not delay the competition, may I take a few minutes to say something to everyone?"